Top 10 Food Trends for 2026: Menu Ideas and Emerging Flavors

1. Empanadas – The Handheld Stars

Empanadas—South American savory meat pies—have climbed the ranks of handheld stardom, with 7.6% growth on menus in the last year. According to research firm Datassential’s Global Flavors Keynote, empanadas are predicted to grow on menus an additional 4.3% in the next four years. Right now, more than half of consumers (51%) love them, and nearly a quarter (18%) are eating them weekly.

On the Menu: Empanadas and Flavor Twists

• Pork belly empanadas with potatoes, corn, green beans and a Filipino spiced vinegar-based dipping sauce at Salo Salo, Indianapolis (read more about Grace and Jeremy McGee, owners of Salo Salo here)
• Housemade empanadas with picadillo beef and red chimichurri; jerk chicken and cheese; and marinated jackfruit and tomatillo sauce at Wylie & Rum, Atlanta (co-owner David Lewis also shares tips for better brunch service here)

2. Honey and Dessert Toast

Move over avocado toast—honey’s getting all the attention now, according to Datassential’s Menu Movers report from October 2025. Shibuya toast, also called honey toast and brick toast, is a Japanese dessert that features hollowed out milk bread (though classic white bread or brioche like this) can be used. The hollowed pieces are then toasted and drizzled with butter and honey and baked for a textural element. The cubes are then piled back into the original bread and topped as desired. Vietnamese coffee brick toast is a variation of this theme, but such variations exist across much of Asia.

On the Menu: Sweet Toast Creations

Omi Omi Shibuya, Matcha Cha Cha (with red beans) and Choco Choco Lovers Toast at Omi Cafe, Chicago

3. Mexican Meats on the Rise

Carne asada and carnitas are finding new footing, Datassential reports, as are tacos árabes (pronounced ah-RAH-bess), a Puebla specialty with Lebanese shawarma roots featuring spit-roasted, marinated pork that’s shaved and wrapped in a soft, pita-like shell. It pairs nicely with modern Mexican cocktails featuring agave, corn and chaya—dubbed a 2026 trend by hospitality consulting firm Andrew Freeman & Co. Purchase all natural, ready-to-go carnitas here.

On the MenuCarne asada tacos with onion, cilantro and avocado crema and tacos árabes with shawarma-spiced pork, labneh and spicy chipotle sauce on a flour tortilla at Mijo NYC

4. Bitter Greens Make a Comeback

Bitter greens were up 52% on menus last year, with a predicted 60% two-year growth for dandelion greens, according to a 2025 report from Technomic. Pair them with these salad mixes for extra pop. These greens also go great with bright citrus, our Ingredient to Watch for spring.

5. Passionfruit Adds Color and Flavor

Orange is the new purple. This tropical fruit has joined ube and dragonfruit for color-driven cocktails, brightly hued desserts and fruit-based “coffee” drinks. Purchase passionfruit here.

6. Croissants Beyond Breakfast  

Moving beyond breakfast—this laminated mainstay is the new handheld base for all things sweet and savory. Check out your croissant options here and ready-to-go dough options here.

7. Smash Burgers and Global Variations

These flattened, crispy-edged patties, often paired with melty cheese and special sauce, are ushering in a new better burger era. Dubai paratha burgers are extra trendy: These smash burgers are taking the trend to a whole new global form with the patties, cheese and sauce tucked inside paratha—a crispy, flaky, buttery South Indian flatbread. Click here for some burger patty options and here for ground beef choices. Here’s an option for a plant-based version.

8. Tahini as a Savory Superstar

Sesame’s creamy, nutty profile is the new antidote to sugary lattes and slushies and the perfect, savory emulsifier for dressings, sauces and more. It pairs nicely with black sesame, another trending ingredient. Buy tahini here.

9. Cake Picnics and Shareable Mini Desserts

These dessert flights in the form of boxed mini cakes first went viral as shareable treats for private gatherings—but they offer operators a chance to capitalize on the idea for ending meals or offering something to go, according to Andrew Freeman & Co., a hospitality consultancy. “Dessert is no longer confined to the end of a meal—it’s participatory, pretty, and profit-generating,” the consultancy’s 2026 Hospitality Trends report states. Here are some options for mini desserts and cakes, along with a newer Chef’s Line cake and a phyllo cake option from the fall Scoop™ catalogue.

10. Tartar Sauce Reimagined

Not just for fish sandwiches anymore—use as a topper for fish nachos, dipping sauce for calamari, popcorn shrimp, wings and pickled veggies, or combine with Cajun and other spices for a new twist. Build on your base here.

On The Menu: Tartar Sauce Twists

Crispy chicken sandwich with havarti cheese, spiked tartar sauce, mini brioche, pickled slaw and garlic aioli at Azara in Atlanta

Craving more trends predictions? Check out our resident trends expert Katie Ayoub’s picks, inspired by TikTok trends that are sticking.